Aggies finish third in WAC indoor championships

Sun-News report

Posted:
02/23/2013 10:37:08 PM MST

The New Mexico State University track and field team claimed third place overall at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships for the second-straight year, and was also highlighted by junior Brianna Cromartie being named WAC Athlete of the Year.

The meet was held in Albuquerque.

NM State finished with a 109 total points, which ended up being seven points behind second-place UTSA and 13 points behind first-place Texas State.

"We thought everything went the way we anticipated," said head track and field coach Orin Richburg. "Overall, from top to bottom, we performed really well."

Cromartie, who was named WAC Athlete of the Year, was also the High Point champion for the WAC Indoor Championships with a total individual point score of 18.5. Junior Alishia Perkins joins Cromartie was co-High Point champion when she equaled Cromartie's point total of 18.5.

"Having Cromartie being named WAC Athlete of the Year helps us a lot," Richburg said. "She does very well academically, and speaks very well of what we are trying to do with our student athletes."

In the women's 400-meter dash, Cromartie set a new WAC Championship meet record, crossing the finish line in 53.11, which is also a new school record. Fellow Aggie LaSasha Aldredge claimed second with a time of 53.24. Both Cromartie and Aldredge claimed first team All-WAC in the event.
Perkins came in third in the 60m with a time of 7.54, earning first team All-WAC for the event.

Perkins bested her 2013 WAC best in the 200m with a time of 23.

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68, finishing first overall. Cromartie took bronze as she finished the race in a time of 24.25. Both Aggies earned first team All-WAC in the event.

The NM State twins Courtney and Camille Schultz finished second and third in the 3,000m. Courtney crossed the finish in a time of 9:55.67, while her sister, Camille, finished in 10:04.76. Both sisters earned first team All-WAC honors.

NM State won the women's 4x400m relay, setting a new women's WAC Championship meet record with a time of 3:38.38. Alredge, Perkins, Cromartie and sophomore Jenna Banegas competed in the winning team for the Aggies.

Two other individual titles were claimed by NM State prior to the final day of competition.

For the long distance, Courtney and Camille Schultz finished first and second respectively in the finals for the 5,000m. Courtney grabbed the individual title with a time of 17:05.70 and Camille finished second with a time of 17:21.62.

On Friday, junior Zoe Meade claimed the individual championship in the heptathlon with a score of 3,735.

Other notable finishes in the WAC Indoor Championships include sophomore Diana Hawk finishing sixth overall in the 1-mile with a time of 4:58.84, earning second team All-WAC. Hawk also finishes sixth in the 3,000m with a time of 10:11.54, earning second team All-WAC in that event as well. NM State finished sixth in the Distance Medley as a team, earning second team All-WAC honors. Senior Samantha Thompson, juniors Kayla Nagunst and Sarabel Bojorquez and freshman Kelsi Gonzales participated for the Aggies. In the pole vault, sophomore Taylor Black finishes sixth overall with a mark of 11-04.50 (3.47m) which is also a new school record and earns her second team All-WAC honors.

The Aggies begin the outdoor track and field season on March 15 in Tucson, Ariz., with the Willie Williams Classic.